The New Normal
by Victoria to Worthing
Summary: Edwin gets Lizzie a birthday present that wreaks havoc on the whole family. And what's with these weird new feelings, anyway? Lizwin and Dasey! Now complete!
1. Would it be weird?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Life with Derek_ of any of its characters.

**Dedication:** To my sister, Sally, who was my proofreader and sounding board for this whole fic!

Edwin didn't understand it.

He was pretty much Lizzie's best friend out of anyone in their quasi-family. Why was he having such a hard time figuring this out?

It was just a few days before their now customary combined birthday dance party, the third one. Edwin was turning fifteen and was facing the annoying situation of becoming what Nora would call "emotionally mature." He and Lizzie had never given each other birthday gifts, somehow figuring that being co-guests of honor at the party cancelled out the obligation, but this year, he felt really uncomfortable when he realized that he was the only one in his family who wasn't getting her anything.

Thanks to his very stealthy reconnaissance, he knew what everyone else was planning. His dad and Nora had already told Lizzie that they would pay for her to get her ears double-pierced, and Casey was going to give her some new earrings to go in the new holes. Derek was giving Lizzie his old hockey stick that he had been withholding for months so he could give it as a birthday gift he wouldn't have to pay for, and Marti had used her own allowance money to get her a purple helmet for street hockey.

In fact, all of Lizzie's sport needs had been basically taken care of. She had gotten a new soccer ball the year before, and a new karate outfit when she got her green belt. She got girly hand-me-downs from Casey all the time. She didn't really need anything.

Hence, his dilemma.

He and Lizzie hung out every day. They watched TV together. They played video games. She beat him at soccer. They even still hid out in the closet when Casey and Derek got too annoying. They were together all the time. How could he now know her well enough by now to know what she would want for a gift?

He considered getting her something to do with her favorite TV shows or video games, but she wasn't really the kind of person to have pop culture memorabilia. She didn't obsess over movie stars or anything. (She was too sensible for that. He liked that about her.)

Finally, he decided that he would have to just ask her. He really didn't want to, because maybe it would hurt her feelings that he couldn't figure anything out. Well, she probably wouldn't care. Really, he just didn't want her to know how much he was worrying over this, or ask why he had decided that she should get a gift this year when he had never bothered before. He wouldn't know how to answer those questions at all.

After he decided to give up the subtle route, he went in search of her around the house. He heard her before he saw her, and that's when he got lucky.

"Mom! George! Please! I don't care about my ears. I can pay for my own earrings. This is the only gift I want!"

Her voice was coming from the kitchen table, and Edwin paused on the stairs to hear what was going on before he ventured into a fight.

"Lizard," Nora's voice sighed in response. "I know it's what you want, but I really don't think it would be a good idea. Our house is already a wreck all the time. Adding a pet would not help matters."

"But I would take care of it! I wouldn't let it make a mess. Really. I'm great at taking care of pets."

"Oh, like that time you let a skink loose in our house?" George commented.

"Well, I wouldn't want a skink. I would want something furry and cute and un-scary. Like a dog or cat. Especially a cat."

"Well, we'll think about it, Liz, but I really don't think so," George answered slowly, hesitant as always to be the bad guy.

"Fine," Lizzie sighed. She began trudging toward the stairs in an overdramatically sad way that she must have picked up from Casey, and Edwin darted up the stairs before anyone saw him, grinning triumphantly.

A pet. A cat or dog… a little kitten. That would be the perfect gift. Why hadn't he thought of a pet before? Lizzie had always been an animal lover. The fact that it was most likely parent forbidden just made it even better. Lizzie and Edwin had always teamed up when they decided to break the rules. It could be a secret pet.

Edwin had hardly stepped into his room when a knock sounded at his door.

**LWD LWD LWD**

In the throes of her annoyance and disappointment, Lizzie's feet automatically steered her towards Edwin's door. She grimaced awkwardly as she made herself pause to knock. Having gone through Nora's favorite topic of converation, puberty, it seemed like they shouldn't barge into each other's rooms, but knocking always felt kind of weird.

The door swung open quickly. "Hey, Liz. Come in." He stepped aside to let her pass, and she smiled a little. If it had been any other family member, he would have asked what they wanted first, but he always assumed that she just wanted to hang out. He was usually right.

She plopped onto the edge of his bed. "Have you ever noticed that both of our parents are total fascists?"

"Hmm, well, I guess I've always thought Dad looked a little like Mussolini," he joked, and Lizzie snorted, imagining George with an evil frown. "What human rights are they suppressing now?"

"My right to have my own pet. I mean, I'm a responsible kid, right?" She felt herself moving into soapbox rant mode. "I get good grades. I keep stuff clean. I'm a very drama-free child. Don't you think I deserve a cute little kitten or something? Or at least a hamster?"

"Definitely. I'm just surprised you don't want to adopt something from an endangered species."

"Yeah, most of those wouldn't do very well in Ontario."

"On a happier note… are you looking forward to our party?"

"Yeah, a lot, as long as Jamie doesn't take it as an opportunity to get back together for the fourth time." Lizzie and her best guy friend had been going on dates, breaking up, and reconciling ever since that day with Casey at Smelly Nellie's, but she was trying to stop the cycle. After all, if they had decided they were better off as friends three times, what would make the fourth try so magical? She cared about Jamie, but could never really make up her mind about how she felt about him, even almost two years after his confession of teenage crush.

Edwin rolled his eyes. She knew he didn't like talking about the Jamie situation, although he usually tried to disguise that fact. She tried to save most of her dating conversations for Casey, but it was hard not to let a few of them overflow when she was with Edwin so often.

"How about if I cut in on you guys dancing if I see him pulling out an engagement ring?"

She laughed and winced at the same time. "If he pulls out any form of ring, I'm definitely fleeing the scene." Ed was kidding, but she could all too easily imagine Jamie giving her a heart-shaped friendship ring or something.

"So is it rings in general you fear or just rings from Jamie?" Edwin asked, his shoulders hunching up a little in that way they did when he was uncomfortable.

"Well… rings from Jamie, I guess… why do you ask?" She could tell she was giving him a bit of a weird look.

"Oh, I was just wondering what you wanted for your birthday," he said, the words coming out in a rush.

"Aw, Ed, you don't have to get me anything." She smiled, thinking of the hat and scarf set she had been knitting him for the past week. She hadn't really expected him to give her a gift, but she had wanted to get him something, anyway. _Someone _had to show him how to be mature.

"Well, I just wanted to… wait. Does that mean you didn't get me anything? Should I not get you something? Would it be weird?" He was beginning to talk fast, and she laughed.

"No, it wouldn't be weird. I'm giving you something." His nervousness spread to her. "Wait… should I not?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean, yeah, we should give each other gifts. It's normal, right?"

"Yeah, normal." She looked awkwardly down at her lap. What was normal for them? They had many different modes to their relationship, and Lizzie never knew quite how to define it, beyond the obvious stepfamily distinction. Really, despite their occasional wars, she kind of felt like Edwin had become her best friend, but she wasn't sure if he considered her to be his.

Edwin switched into one of their most frequent relationship patterns and got competitive. "Well, whatever you're getting me, it's not as good as what I'm getting you."

"Oh, yeah? How do you know? Maybe I'm getting you a new computer. Maybe I'm giving you a Ferrari." She imagined how cocky Edwin would be with a Ferrari. His occasional ego trips were so very amusing.

"Yeah, right. Neither one of us has that kind of money. Unless you're somehow knitting me a car."

She frowned involuntarily at his precise guess. "You don't know what I'm planning, Edwin."

"Well, you don't know what I'm planning, either. It's gonna be amazing."

"Yeah, well, we'll see!" She put on her intimidating karate face, even though she knew it didn't work on him since he had finally gotten substantially bigger than she was during the past year.

"Ha, we sound like Casey and Derek. Except I don't know if they would ever fight about who was going to be nicer to the other one."

"Yeah, that might be the only thing they haven't fought about yet." Casey and Derek were in their last year of high school. They were both enjoying the extra prestige of being seniors on campus. Casey had already filled out lots of college applications. Derek had already planned his final senior prank.

"Don't tell them, but I think I'm kind of going to miss them. Except I won't miss being Derek's personal butler."

"I'll miss them, too, even Casey being my personal adviser about teen drama." They were both quiet for a minute. Lizzie imagined the house as it would be with her and Edwin as oldest. Probably a lot quieter. Not quite as funny. But still cozy.

"Hey, wanna watch TV?" Edwin asked. She nodded, and they bounded down the stairs and landed on the couch in the same spots they always occupied, fitting into the dents that they had previously left in the cushions.


	2. Weirdly happy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life with Derek or any of its characters.

**Dedication:** Still dedicated to my sister, Sally!

**Thanks: **To the very kind reviewers of the first chapter.

The day of the party was starting out very stressfully.

Edwin had successfully sneaked out of the house at such a horribly early hour that Marti, watching cartoons on the couch, was the only other person awake. He had taken the bus downtown, obtained cat supplies, and carefully selected a kitten out of the litter offered for adoption at the pet supply superstore. He had taken the bus back home, found the basement window unlocked, and thrown the cat supplies in as quietly as possible. Then he had tucked the kitten into his sweatshirt and begun his own descent through the window.

Just when he realized that he was stuck, he was suddenly interrupted by Derek coming down the basement stairs.

"Wha—Ed—what are you doing?" Edwin was mortified to realize that he looked weird enough to make the ever-articulate Derek stutter. Well, he _was _half-way through the basement window with a cat hanging out of his shirt and his arms flailing in midair.

"Is that a cat?"

"Shh! Shh! Help me down!" The kitten mewed pitifully as Edwin tried to wiggle through the window to safety.

"Why should I?" Derek narrowed his eyes.

"Because… I'll be your slave?"

"Nice try. You're already my slave. Why are you sneaking a cat in here?"

Edwin didn't want to tell him, but being suspended in a basement window was having the effect of a torture chamber on him and making him tell the shameful truth.

"It's for Lizzie, OK? It's her birthday gift. I wanted to surprise her."

"You give Lizzie birthday gifts? I didn't think you two did that."

"Well, we do now, OK? Or I do… I think she does… maybe it's just because I'm going to… I don't know… Derek, c'mon, please help me down!"

To his surprise, Derek walked across the room, removed the captive kitten, and hauled Edwin through the window.

"Whew. Thanks. Why did you do that?"

"Because you're pathetic. Even more pathetic than you realize. Think about that…" Derek began leaving the basement with a look of mystery.

"Wait, what?"

Derek paused and looked over his shoulder. "Don't ruin my exit, man."

"Don't tell Dad and Nora, OK?"

"I won't…" Just as Edwin was about to thank him profusely, Derek continued. "Because they'll find out without me doing anything, and that might be more fun to watch!"

Edwin groaned. "Will you at least be a lookout for me for a minute so I can get this stuff upstairs?"

Derek sighed. "Fine, little bro. But after that, you're on your own."

With Derek's assistance, Edwin made it upstairs to his room with the kitten and her accoutrements. He considered stashing her in the games closet, but instead settled on dumping things out of his own closet and setting up her food, water, and litter box in there for the time being. She rubbed her face against his hand and purred as he set the water bowl down, and he smiled. She was pretty cute. If Lizzie could love house mice, she would surely adore this cat.

After stowing everything safely, he set out on his next mission—setting up the proper time to give Lizzie her gift. He walked down the hall and knocked on her door (which always felt a little awkward).

There was no answer.

He knocked again, and heard a faint murmur. She wouldn't murmur if she was saying to stay out, right? She would have yelled. He pushed the door open hesitantly.

Oops. She was still in bed, cuddled up to the stuffed duck that she thought he didn't know she still slept with. Her hair was spread all over her pillow, and her freckled face was scrunched up drowsily. At the noise of the door opening, her gray-blue eyes opened slowly.

He froze. Somehow, he couldn't look away from her.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Lizzie was confused when the first thing she saw was Edwin slipping into her room. What time was it? Why was he just standing there?

She peeked over at the clock and realized that it was already eleven. She had stayed up late finishing Edwin's hat so it would be ready for the day of the party. She was usually up pretty early, so maybe someone had sent Edwin in to see what was wrong with her.

"I'm fine! Just slept in! Just… resting up for the party." She sat up fast and tried to look awake, then gasped as she realized she was still cuddling Duckquack. She stuck him under the covers, but there was no way Edwin hadn't seen.

"What are you doing in here, Ed?" she asked grouchily, stuffing the duck further under the bedspread and scanning the room for any incriminating needles or yarn.

"I, uh, I… I was gonna see when you want to exchange our gifts."

"Oh." She felt kind of bad for her tone of voice now. "Well, why not just do it at the party?"

"Um, for a reason that I can't disclose at this time… I can't give you your gift in front of anyone." Edwin was wringing his hands. He hadn't even mocked Duckquack. What was wrong with him?

Lizzie was a little freaked out by his behavior, and very freaked out by what he'd just said about her gift.

"Why can't you give it to me in public? Is it some kind of evil joke? Did you not really get me a present?"

Edwin held his hands up in front of him as though she were punching him instead of interrogating him. "No! It's not a joke. I really got one. It's just… secret, OK?"

"OK…" Lizzie was beyond skeptical.

Edwin recognized her tone. "Really, Liz! I promise, it's good. Just trust me."

"Trust you. Hmm." Edwin was a good guy, but he had a little too much Derek in him for her to be comfortable with that proposal. Still, he was making a very pathetic face, and he was her ally most of the time. "OK, Edwin. When should we do the exchange?"

"How about tonight, after everyone has gone to bed?"

Lizzie raised her eyebrows. "Wow, this is a very secret gift. Is it illegal?"

Edwin did his "cool guy" pose. "Not… technically."

Lizzie ignored his posturing. "Where should we meet?"

"You even have to ask?"

"Games closet?"

"As usual."

He stepped over to her beside and offered his fist for their handshake, but Lizzie balked. "Do you think we're too old for our handshake now?"

"Never, Liz!" Edwin bumped her fist enthusiastically, and she giggled and reciprocated.

"I'll see you at the party," he said, edging toward the door.

"And then at the games closet, where you'll give me a nuclear bomb you invented."

Edwin chuckled. "Maybe."

When he finally left and shut the door, Lizzie lay back down and joined her duck under the covers. For some reason, she felt kind of embarrassed that he had seen her in pajamas and with bedhead. Not to mention the stuffed animal. What was with her? This was Edwin. She had seen him wearing a green wig. She had smelled his stinky feet. She had beaten him up, multiple times. Why would she ever feel dorky around him?

She sighed, shook her head, and dragged herself out of bed, wondering what he was really going to give her that night.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Edwin spent the half the time until the party worrying that someone would discover the kitten. He spent the remainder of the time worrying that Lizzie was now frightened of him. He had offered her a suspicious present and stared at her creepily. Why shouldn't she be scared?

She had just looked so cute waking up.

Fortunately, the day went pretty quickly, and soon guests were arriving. Everyone had gotten a lot less shy since their thirteenth birthday party, and people started dancing with relatively little persuasion.

Lizzie and Casey had were holding hands and doing the twist. Edwin smiled a little sadly. He knew how much Lizzie would miss Casey when she left for university.

On a related note, Derek was dancing with Marti, just like he always did. Edwin didn't even want to think about how Marti would feel when Derek was gone.

Then, in a bizarre twist, Lizzie hauled Casey over to Derek and Marti. "McDonald-Venturi dance circle!" Marti announced. Since it was Marti, no one dared to argue, and the two couples merged.

"Edwin! Come over here!" Lizzie called, and he laughingly stepped into the circle between Lizzie and Marti.

"I'm gonna go dance with Daddy!" Marti announced, slipping out of the stepsibling clump.

"OK, Smarti." To Edwin's surprise, Derek didn't take the opportunity to immediately leap away from Casey. They seemed to have called a truce for the night. In fact, they were even doing "the swim" in each other's general direction.

A moment later, Edwin jumped when Lizzie seized his hand. "Ed, come dance with me!" She grabbed his free hand and pulled him away from Casey and Derek with classic Lizzie strength.

"What's going on?" he whispered, sensing a plan afoot.

"Shh, I'll tell you in a minute." She was still holding his hands, pulling them to and fro as though he would dance whether he wanted to or not. She was spoke in a whisper into his ear, and he felt the corners of his lips turn up involuntarily.

"Look! They're dancing!" she hissed.

He turned his head and saw that Casey and Derek were still bopping around and laughing. They didn't even seem to be arguing!

"Whoa, since when did that happen?" He gawked.

Before Lizzie could answer, Nora changed the song to a slow one.

"And now, the real test!" Lizzie muttered.

They both watched as Casey and Derek awkwardly stopped grooving. From afar, they saw them shrug, laugh again, and awkwardly start dancing again, this time swaying slowly.

"Oh my gosh! It worked!" Lizzie's whisper had grown to a quiet squeal, and it was kind of hurting Edwin's ears.

"Are you ever going to fill me in?" he demanded. Rather than releasing his hands, Lizzie had pulled them to her and set them neatly on her waist. She wrapped her own arms around his neck and used the opportune closeness to resume whispering in his ear.

"Well, I've been meaning to tell you, but I didn't think you'd believe me."

"What is it?" Edwin was getting impatient with her answers… but not with dancing with her. In fact, he was beginning to feel weirdly, giddily happy. Dancing could be just another thing he enjoyed doing with Lizzie, right? Scheming, playing hockey, watching TV, and dancing. Not so weird at all.

"Marti told me that she's developed this theory." Lizzie paused, as though for dramatic effect. "She thinks Casey and Derek should fall in love."

"WHAT?" Edwin winced as he realized that his loud shout had completely broken the relaxing slow dance mood, and made a bunch of people turn to look at them. He pulled Lizzie closer so emphatically that they bumped together awkwardly and began whispering harshly in her ear. "How can they fall in love? A, they're stepsiblings. B, they hate each other!"

"Well, Marti thinks that they have fun fighting together. She thinks their fighting is just a cover-up because they're both too proud to admit that they like each other."

Edwin felt like he was in an alternate universe. "Since when do you listen to Marti's theories, Liz? She thinks that dust bunnies have feelings!"

Lizzie's skin turned a little bit pink under her freckles, and he felt bad for embarrassing her. "I don't know. I just think she might be right this time."

"So you two are playing matchmaker?"

"Well, not usually. Just tonight. Just to see what will happen. And it totally worked!" She gestured toward the happily dancing couple across from them.

"I guess so." They stopped talking for a minute, and Edwin suddenly realized how close they were still dancing. His hands were now touching behind Lizzie's back, pulling her right up against him. Without meaning to, he tilted his head a little so he could lean his face closer to hers. She had fallen silent, and her pretty eyes kept darting up to his face, then falling back down again. Edwin felt like he should hold his breath, in case he broke the spell of this perfect moment.

Then his dad broke it for them, simultaneously ruining Casey and Derek's dance as well, when he ran up to them with the camera and blinded them with the flash, cooing "Aw, how cute, a McDonald-Venturi dance-a-thon!"

**LWD LWD LWD**

Lizzie was getting tired of waiting in the closet.

She'd had a great time at the party. She'd danced with her friends, including a few dances with Jamie, which had been fortunately comfortable. She'd opened gifts and eaten junk food and had a great time.

So why couldn't she think about anything except Casey and Derek's slow dance, and her own weird slow dance with Edwin?

Just when she was driving herself crazy trying to decide whether the way she'd forced him to slow dance with her was humiliating or not, the closet door creaked open.

Edwin's face peeked through, then the whole Edwin slipped into the room. He was wearing a sweatshirt, and his arms were tucked around a bulge hidden underneath it.

"Too cheap to wrap your gift?" Lizzie joked. When Edwin began to stammer, she interrupted him. "I'm kidding, mine isn't wrapped either."

"Give me yours first." Edwin was grinning in a way that was a combination of cute and creepy.

Lizzie pulled the scarf and hat set out from behind her back.

"Aw, Liz, wow! Did you make these?" She nodded proudly, and his grin widened. "They're great! My favorite colors."

"I thought about trying to knit the periodic table of elements into the scarf, but I thought that might be too hard."

He laughed and wrapped the unscientific scarf around his neck one-handed.

"Do I get my gift now?" She was too curious for niceties.

"Yes, you do!" After just a moment's dramatic pause, Edwin pulled his hand out from under his sweatshirt, revealing an adorable and confused black and white kitten.

Lizzie began to squeal, but Edwin clapped his hand over her mouth before she could. "No noise! This is a secret, remember?"

She shook his hand off and began gushing quietly. "Edwin! Are you for real? Is it for me? Can I keep it? How did you know?" She seized the kitten from his hand and pressed it against her chest, rubbing her chin against its fuzzy little head. "Is it a boy or a girl? When did you get it? How did you hide it? I love it!"

He was laughing, clearly enjoying her praise. "The answers to your questions are… yes…yes… yes… I overheard you bugging the 'rents… she's a girl… I got her this morning… I hid her in my closet… and I'm glad."

Before she realized what she was doing, Lizzie set the kitten down carefully and threw herself into Edwin's arms. "Thank you!" She felt an overwhelming wave of love. Who else but Edwin would do something as special as this for her?

"You're welcome." He was hugging her back, laying his cheek against her hair, kind of the same way she'd cuddled the kitten. The thought made her want to laugh, but the giggle died in her throat as the hug didn't end. Instead, she leaned back a little so that she could look up at him. She stood on her toes to press her forehead against his, and whispered what she was thinking.

"You're my best friend, Ed."

Just as she saw his mouth open to answer, the door swung open, they sprang apart, and Casey shrieked as she caught sight of her embracing semi-siblings and one unfortunately conspicuous cat.


	3. Weird defines their relationship

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Life With Derek_ or any of its characters.

**Dedication:** To my long-suffering sister.

**Thanks:** To all the reviewers! I can't believe I actually have 12 reviews now! At first reviews seemed to be coming in really slowly. Also, thanks to the people who have favorited this or put it on your Story Alerts. It's so nice to know that someone is enjoying it!

"You guys! What are you doing?" Casey screeched. Before Edwin could even think, Lizzie leapt over to Casey and stuck her hand over her mouth.

"Shh! Casey! Stop!" She tugged her protesting sister into the closet and slid the door shut silently. "If I move my hand, will you talk quietly?"

Casey nodded emphatically, glaring all the while, and Lizzie cautiously removed her hand.

"You guys! What are you doing?" Casey repeated in a whisper. "Why is there a cat in here? What's going on?"

"She's my birthday present!" Lizzie beamed. She scooped the cat up and held her out to Casey.

"Awww, how cute!" Casey exclaimed, grabbing the cat and stroking her little head. "But wait, why are we in a closet?"

"Well... this isn't exactly and Dad-and-Nora-approved gift," Edwin admitted. Casey's mouth opened in horror, and Lizzie slapped her hand over it again. "It might be approved!" Edwin hastily added. "I just didn't exactly ask before I got her."

"He knew how much I wanted a pet," Lizzie said, grinning even as she continued covering Casey's mouth. "Isn't that so nice?"

"Mmm! Mm-mm!" Casey mumbled.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Lizzie removed her hand again.

"What if you guys get in trouble?"

"Maybe we won't," Edwin answered quickly.

"You won't tell, will you, Casey?" Lizzie pleaded. "No one else knows but you."

Edwin grimaced, remembering that morning. "Well, you and... Derek."

"DEREK?" both girls gasped.

"Edwin!" Lizzie added, giving his shoulder an annoyed shove that hurt more than a playful shove should.

"Hey! I thought I was your best friend!" he yelped.

"You _are_ my best friend, but that doesn't mean you're not an idiot!" she scolded. "How could you tell Derek?"

"He caught me sneaking the cat in this morning! I had no choice! He promised not to tell, though... well, at least he kind of... sounded like he wouldn't."  
"Oh, you guys are _so _getting caught!" Casey shook her head reprovingly.

"Well, if we're gonna get caught anyway, that means you won't tell Mom and George, right?" Lizzie wheedled.

"I... suppose not. But I think you should tell them. It seems really hard to keep a pet a secret." She turned to Edwin. "Why did you decide to get Liz such a tricky present?"

Edwin felt his face get hot and a stutter suddenly develop. "I... I dunno. She wanted a pet. We're pals, you know? We're the middle kids team. I wanted to get her something good." He forced himself to stop babbling.

Casey smiled. "That's so sweet, Edwin. Really! If only Derek was more like you."

Edwin gave Lizzie a sideways glance, thinking about the secret she had told him at the party. Casey and Derek did mention each other a lot, even for two people who were supposed mortal enemies.

"I was just getting Scrabble out of here so I could have it set out to play with Emily tomorrow. I guess I'll go to bed now," Casey said. Her words were normal, but she was talking a slow, skeptical tone clearly meant to show them that she knew their pet plan would fail.

"OK. Thank you so much for not telling, Casey. You're the best sister ever." Lizzie gave Casey a hug clearly intended as a cute younger sister bribe, and Edwin wondered how many hugs the games closet would see in one night.

Casey returned the hug, gave back the kitten, and meandered into her room. As soon as she was gone, Lizzie let out a huge sigh and pushed her long bangs out of her face. "Geez! I don't know how we're going to pull this one off."

Edwin suddenly felt like the tough one—a nice change. "We will somehow. I won't let them take your pet!" He had a sudden mental flashback to Lizzie defending his right to watch cartoons two years ago. _"You deserve your me time!"_

"Thanks, Edwin." Lizzie was smiling pensively over the kitten's head.

"What do you think you'll name her?"

"I was thinking Christine, after my favorite soccer player, Christine Sinclair. Is that a stupid name for a cat?"

"Christine the kitten. Sounds OK to me. I guess we should probably sneak her into your room now, before anyone else catches us." He slid the door open slowly, but just as he stuck his head forward to peek out, Lizzie had the same thought, and their foreheads collided. They both managed to keep from making any noise, but winced and rubbed their sore heads as they tiptoed out of the college, Christine's gear in tow.

**LWD LWD LWD**  
After Edwin had helped her sneak everything into her room, he slipped back into his own room, leaving her alone with Christine and her own thoughts. The kitten had rolled onto her side and was kneading the air with her paws, purring contentedly and making a nest out of Lizzie's blanket. She settled Christine onto her chest and stared into the darkness.

She hadn't wanted to admit it, but Edwin getting her the gift she had wanted had made her feel so simultaneously happy and confused that she was in a daze. She had known that they were the best friends out of their family, and she had figured that they would probably get each other something this year, but somehow the fact that he had gone to so much trouble made her feel really special. It showed that he was willing to get in trouble, just to give her something she wanted.

Was that normal?

Why should he care so much about her? Sure, they were the middle kids. They were partners in crime and in street hockey. They were each other's refuge in the family. But this, this was beyond the call of duty.

Did it mean something was changing?

Lizzie grimaced and sighed into the dark as she realized that maybe something had already changed. She mentally compared their dance at their first joint birthday party to the one tonight. At their first party, they had smiled at each other and held hands, but it wasn't a big deal. Tonight, they had slowdanced and told secrets. Really, if she was being honest with herself, she had to admit that she had used the secret partly as an excuse to dance with him. There just wasn't really anyone else she wanted to dance with. She had wanted to just ask him with no excuses, but was worried that it would be weird.  
"Weird" practically defined their relationship these days. They were closer than ever, but at the same time there was an aura of discomfort that hadn't been there during the days they had watched cartoons on the couch.

Lizzie felt herself getting drowsy even as her mind mulled over these uncomfortable thoughts, so she forced herself to get out of bed and put Christine into the closet so that the cat wouldn't be discovered when Mom came in to to wake her up for school in the morning.

"Good night, Christine." She sighed as she settled the cat into a cushion on the closet floor. "Be grateful that you're just a kitten and don't have any stepbrothers."

**LWD LWD LWD**

Edwin woke up with Lizzie instantly on his mind. He felt confused about why for a minute, then remembered Christine. Then he remembered the closet last night—the way they had been hugging when Casey burst in. _That_ was strange.

He leapt out of bed to push that thought away and got dressed. It was a Sunday, so he didn't have anything to do except a little homework. He had been mentally planning to spend the day with Lizzie, but he was getting this weird twitch every time he thought about her. Like he was somehow in the Twilight Zone, where he wasn't really himself and Lizzie wasn't really Lizzie.

That thought was part of what made him jump dramatically when Lizzie swung his door open and peeked in.

"Hi! I heard you moving around. Do you want a visitor?" She seemed almost oddly energetic and cheerful.

"Sure," he answered, trying to sound as carefree as she did.

To his amusement, instead of walking into the room, Lizzie stuck her arm in and deposited Christine on the floor. The kitten proceeded to explore Edwin's room haughtily, as though trying to decide if it was good enough for her. Finally, she seemed to decide it was, and sat down gracefully.

Edwin and Lizzie both laughed and settled down on the floor next to the cat. Edwin was relieved to find that a cat was an excellent distraction from awkwardness. He and Lizzie didn't even have to look at each other most of the time.

"She's the cutest thing ever," Lizzie declared after a few minutes of playing. She scooped the kitten up into her arms and kissed her forehead emphatically. Somehow, that brought the awkwardness back into the room, and they both got silent for a moment.

"Um! Look what I found out! She'll play with my hair!" Lizzie burst out, apparently trying to distract them both with loud enthusiasm. She set Christine down and swung her braid over her shoulder, and the cat, indeed, began attacking Lizzie's hair as though it was prey.

Edwin chuckled. "That's pretty cute. You better watch out for any mice that get back into our house!"

Lizzie gasped. "Oh no! I hope Howie and Mavis stay away."

A less amusing thought entered Edwin's mind. "Do you think that Derek or Casey will tell?"

"I hope not," Lizzie sighed. "But then, Derek loves tormenting us, and Casey always gets a guilty conscience, so probably."

Edwin sighed, then reached over to grab Lizzie's other braid and dangle it in front of Christine. He had just thought it would be funny, but it suddenly seemed… weird. He froze, awkwardly holding onto her hair, and she stared at him like a deer in the headlights, then sat up so fast that her braid practically gave him rope burn as it whipped out of his hand.

"What's wrong with us, Edwin?" she whispered.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Lizzie hadn't planned to ask him that, but the question seemed to spring out on its own. She and Edwin had fought and pranked before, but they had always been able to relax around each other in between times, at least. Edwin had just done the nicest thing ever for her. Why should they feel like this now?

Then she realized—that was exactly why they were being weird. Edwin giving her that kitten _was_ more than any of her friends or siblings had done, and definitely more than he'd ever done for someone else. It meant that he felt more about her than anyone else did. And when she'd danced with him, she'd felt… strange, in a nice and scary way. She'd never felt like that before, so aware of someone, so sure that he wasn't thinking of anything but her. It was overwhelming, and it hadn't really stopped since the moment she'd whispered in his ear last night. They couldn't act ordinary, because they weren't ordinary anymore. They were more than that now.

Lizzie felt like she was going to hyperventilate. She wasn't even good at handling crushes on normal people. How could she have a crush on her stepbrother?

"Lizzie, are you OK?" Lizzie realized that her mind had rushed through all of those thoughts in just a few seconds, and now she was silently staring as though she'd seen a ghost. She snapped her mouth shut.

"I'm fine."

"I don't know what's wrong with us, either, Liz." She realized that he was, as usual, kind of clueless, and she cringed when she thought about him suddenly being hit with the ton of bricks that had just collided with her. She had to save him from it, and to save herself from having to talk about any of this!

"Don't worry, it's nothing, I'm sure!" she babbled. "I'm gonna go, OK?" She began stumbling toward the door.

"Um, Liz? Forgetting something?" Edwin asked. She looked over and realized she was forgetting Christine.

"Oops!" She giggled nervously and scooped the kitten up.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Edwin asked as she headed for the door.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Everything is totally... normal."

_Or it will be, if I have anything to say about it! _Lizzie thought as she sneaked down the attic stairs. She was a tough girl. She wasn't sappy. She could figure out a way to fix this, to put them back the way they were. The way they had always been.


	4. The whole weird Edwin thing

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Life with Derek of any of its characters.

**Dedication: **To my sister

**Thanks:** To all reviewers!

Casey was intrigued.

She knew that Edwin and Lizzie met in the games closet sometimes, but she thought it was to plot against her and Derek, not to cuddle. They had been pretty cozy when she accidentally interrupted them. Come to think of it, they had been pretty cozy at the party. And, to top it all off, Edwin had risked getting in trouble to do something nice for someone else. That _never _happened. Edwin was the king of playing both sides against the middle, switching his loyalties from Derek to Lizzie to make sure he was on the winning team. Why would he do something so risky, so outrageous, so... sweet?

These questions bothered Casey all night. The next day, she did something she was rarely driven to do by any circumstances-- she went to talk to Derek.

She knocked politely at his door.

"Casey?" he yelled.

She pushed the door open. "How did you know it was me?"

"I recognized your wimpy knock." He swung his computer chair around to face her, grinning at his own humor. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to ask you something."

Derek looked at her suspiciously. "Oh...kay. Go ahead. Make it quick."

She sat down on the edge of his bed and looked at him, trying to convey her seriousness and lack of scheming with her face. "Do you think that Edwin likes Lizzie?"

To her surprise, Derek didn't burst into laughter or suggest that she should be institutionalized. "Actually... yes, duh. What, did you find about the cat?"

"Shh! Don't talk so loud!"

"Do you mean to tell me that Casey McDonald is actually not going to be a stool pigeon?"

Casey frowned, a little more hurt than she let on, as she often was by Derek's jokes. "No, I'm not. Are you?"

Derek was quiet for a moment, as though trying to make up his mind, and Casey used that opportunity to forge ahead. "I really hope you aren't. I mean, you've gotten Edwin in trouble for doing your bidding so many times. Don't you owe him a break?"

Derek frowned. "I don't owe anybody anything, Case."

Casey felt a pathetically sad look spreading over her face, so she went with it, creating a full-blown puppy dog expression. "But Derek, he's doing it because of true love!" She winced cynically. "Or, in terms you would understand, to bag a babe... in this case, Liz, oh, weird. Isn't that a worthy motive?"

"I guess so." Derek said, snorting at Casey's awkward slang. "Why are you in here, Case? I already told Edwin I wouldn't tell."

"Well, I guess I just wanted to make sure. Plus, I don't know, I wanted to confirm my crush hypothesis."

"The question is, does Lizzie like him back?"

"Well, considering what I just found them doing in the closet..." Casey said.

Derek gaped. "What? Do tell. Maybe Edwin takes after me more than I thought!"

"Well, they were just hugging," Casey admitted ruefully. "But hugging in a closet. All alone! In the middle of the night!"

"Sounds promising. Maybe I'll do a little reconnaissance and find out what's up."

"Will you let me know when you do?" Casey asked hopefully.

Derek smirked. "Maybe. If I decide you deserve it."

Casey smiled and decided to get out while she was ahead. "Surprisingly, it was nice talking with you, Derek," she said as she headed for the door.

"I'm _always _nice, Casey," Derek replied smarmily.

As she pulled Derek's door shut, she wondered when he had stopped calling her "sis."

**LWD LWD LWD**

Derek didn't care what Edwin did. Seriously. He wasn't a busybody like Casey. He wasn't going to get all up in Ed's business and tell him what to do.

But still, you'd think that Edwin would know, if he had girl problems, there was no one like the Datemaster to help him.

Or maybe Edwin didn't know he had problems, in which case, he could be embarrassing himself left and right, which would kind of suck.

Sighing with annoyance at the thought of doing what Casey wanted, he made his way up to Edwin's room a few minutes later. Casey's head appeared as he passed her door, and she opened her mouth eagerly, but he stuck his hand up before she could speak.

"Shoo! Back off! Just because we talked one time does not mean you can keep tabs on me!" he declared.

"Hmmph!" She went back into her room, swishing her hair as she did and leaving behind a whiff of fruity shampoo.

He entered Edwin's room without knocking, as usual, and sat down on the bed next to his dazed-looking bro.

"How's it going?" he asked in his most casual tone.

Edwin answered in a deadly flat tone. "Is there something you want me to do?"

"Just answer a question."

"Yes, you are the coolest guy ever. Happy now?"

"Thanks, bro, but that wasn't it. I was just wondering, if you had girl problems, you would tell me, right?"

"I guess so. Why?"

"I'm just making sure that you would make use of my vast experience in the dating department if you had any questions."

"Sure, I guess so. Except you might mock me for eternity."

"True. But I already do that!" Derek blithely admitted. "Sooo... no problems? No issues? No questions? No girls you've been thinking about a lot lately?"

"Nope, don't think so." Edwin shook his head, clearly as clueless as Derek had suspected.

"Really? Think hard." He reached over and tapped the side of Edwin's head.

"What is this, an interrogation?" Edwin griped.

"No, it just seems to me that something is bothering you."

"Thanks, Dr. Phil, but it's not a girl thing. It's a Lizzie thing."

"Uh, last time I checked, Lizzie _was _a girl."

"Well, yeah, but it's not a date thing. It's just... we were acting really weird around each other today, and then she totally ran out of my room for no reason. I just don't get it. I hate when she's mad at me, but this time I don't even get why. I mean, I've been being totally nice!"

Derek made a hesitant face. "Have you been being _too_ nice? I mean, like, creepy?"

"No! No way! I mean, what do you even mean?"

"I don't know. You're just pretty shady when you flirt."

"I don't flirt with Lizzie. Wait, do I?"

"I dunno. I don't hang out with you two underclassmen much. It's possible."

Edwin groaned and buried his face in his pillow. "Oh man. I bet she's creeped out because of Christine."

Derek snorted. "Who?"

"The kitten. She must think I like her. Do I like her? I don't think so. Wait, I don't know. Ugh. This sucks. I'm a moron." Edwin began hitting his head repeatedly with the pillow, apparently self-punishing, and Derek wondered if he had screwed up Edwin's psyche with his continual enslavement.

"I'm not arguing that you're a moron, but I don't think beating yourself on the head will make you any smarter." Derek pulled the pillow out of Edwin's grasp. "Just think about... I can't believe I'm saying this... I sound like such a girl, but... think about how you feel." Derek tempered this statement with something a little more characteristic. "And make sure you aren't creepy."

"Thanks," Edwin sighed grimly. He lay down on his bed sadly, but didn't injure himself any further, so Derek figured his work was done.

**LWD LWD LWD**

When Casey gave her food, Lizzie always knew that something was up.

That Monday morning, Casey brought her a strawberry smoothie. She delivered it to her bedroom like room service, risking the wrath of Mom for carrying spillable stuff upstairs.

"What do you want, Casey?" Lizzie sighed as she accepted the pink drink. (Though she was suspicious, she was also thirsty.)

"What makes you think I want anything, Liz? I was just making a smoothie and thought I'd give you some, too!" Casey said in her usual perky tone. She bent down to pet Christine and smiled up innocently.

"Hmm, OK, thanks." Lizzie hesitantly sipped from the straw, waiting for the ax to fall.

"Do you want a ride to school today? I'm leaving pretty soon." Casey had used a combination of babysitting money and guilt-tripping the 'rents to get a used car for herself at the beginning of her senior year. She usually rushed to school early, leaving Lizzie to ride with the tardier Derek or take the bus. Now Lizzie _knew _something was up. At least riding with Casey would allow her to avoid Edwin for the morning. She hadn't been looking forward to putting her act-as-normal-as-possible plan into action yet.

"Yeah, I guess that would be nice."

"OK, super!" Casey bounced out of the room.

Lizzie locked the door behind her to keep any intruders out and wondered what Casey was going to try to make her talk about. Information was about the only think Lizzie had that Casey could want. There wasn't any way Casey could have guessed about the whole weird Edwin thing, was there? Lizzie prayed that she hadn't as she finished getting ready and hid Christine in her cat supply-filled closet.

"So, Liz!" Casey chirped a few minutes later in the car. "I've been wondering what's going on with you and Edwin!"

_Gah! _Lizzie thought to herself. "What do you mean?" she asked casually out loud. "We always hang out... and stuff."

"Stuff like giving each other great presents and meeting late at night to passionately embrace?"

"Ugh! Casey! I don't know what you're talking about. It was a friendly hug. A brotherly hug!" She internally winced as she said that, but it seemed like her best coverup strategy.

"Brotherly? Ha! You don't see me and Derek hugging like that, do you?" Casey demanded.

"Um, no, but I do see you flirting!" Lizzie figured a little baiting could get Casey distracted, plus, what if Marti was right?

"What? Flirting? More like fighting. Or feuding. Or... fussing. No flirting!"

"Whatever, Casey! You're always all over each other, just in really violent ways instead of nice ones. It still counts!"

"No, it doesn't! Fighting is not the same as hugging!"

"But being totally obsessed with each other because you fight is almost the same as being totally obsessed with each other for any other reason!"

"You're crazy, Liz!"

"Well, so are you, if you think I was embracing Edwin!"

"Fine!" Casey huffed.

"Yeah, fine!"

They rode in silence the rest of the way to school.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Somehow, Edwin thought, he had lost the baseline of normal.

Was it normal to wave at Lizzie when he saw her in the halls? Or to talk to her? Or was that "creepy"?

They sat together at lunch sometimes, but not always. What was the ratio of times they did versus times they didn't? Were the odds for or against this particular Monday being a day when they did?

Sometimes Edwin hated his scientific brain. It made him way too skilled at overanalyzing.

As he sat in math class, he put his mind on autopilot as he took notes and pondered whether or not Lizzie had ridden with Casey today to avoid him. He was used to her being in the Prince with Derek and him, battling for the front seat. She could call shotgun like no girl he'd ever known before.

It seemed to take things being weird and messed up between him and Lizzie for him to realize how much he really liked her.

He liked her a _lot. _She was pretty and smart and very nice and occasionally evil and funny and so many things that he had taken for granted. He probably had been being flirty and creepy. Now that he thought about the situation, he didn't know how he could have avoided it for so long. She probably hated him.

_No! _She wasn't like that, his rational brain insisted. She was usually a drama-free girl. The weirdness was probably all on his side, and if he started being normal again, it would all go away and they could go back to being... whatever. Friends. Just friends.

By the time it was lunch period, his stomach was in knots. Say hi, yes or no? Sit together, yes or no? Tease her, yes or no? He couldn't believe the things he used to do without thinking.

When he reached the lunchroom, he saw that she had already basically made his decision for him. She and her best friend, Angie, were sitting at a table that was otherwise basically full of Jamie and all of his friends. There wasn't even a spot left for him at the table. He noted with disgust that Lizzie and Jamie were sitting across from each other, like a couple at a romantic dinner. Or, well, cafeteria lunch.

He plopped down at a table by his computer club friends. He had lost his appetite.


	5. There's a lot of weird going around

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Life with Derek of any of its characters.

**Dedication: **To my sister

**Thanks:** To all reviewers!

Paul had never had such a busy lunch hour before.

He had just taken out his sandwich (tuna on wheat, cut into triangles by his wife) when a knock sounded at the door. He had thought that Casey might drop in, but she didn't knock anymore. She hadn't had required meetings with him since the year before, but she still stopped by to rant and obsess sometimes.

"Come in!" he called.

When the door opened, he was surprised to see not Casey, but a younger girl with freckles. "Hi," she said nervously, shutting the door behind her. "I'm Casey's sister, Lizzie. I don't know if she's ever talked about me or anything. I just wondered if I could talk to you for a minute." She was biting her lip anxiously, and Paul suddenly saw the family resemblance.

"Sure, sit down. I think Casey's mentioned you a little before. What have you got on your mind?" He did his best disarming counselor smile, then worried that he might have tuna fish caught in his teeth and changed the smile into a closed-mouth one.

"Well... it's really hard to explain." She stared down at her lap. She was definitely quieter than Casey so far.

"Is it about school? Your family? Boys?"

Lizzie winced painfully. "Well, kind of a combination of those."

"OK, what's been going on? Anything you tell me in here is strictly confidential, and I'd like to help you if I can."

Lizzie hesitated, then exploded in a burst of confession. "It's Edwin, OK?"

"Umm... Edwin? You and Casey's stepbrother?'' Paul felt proud of himself for remembering when she nodded. "What about him? Are you two fighting?" Paul hoped for George and Nora's sake that no more of their kids were feuding.

"No. That's the problem! He's being so nice to me. He gave me a cat for my birthday! Oh, wait, don't tell anyone that, please! It's kind of secret. But he gave me a cat in the closet and I hugged him and we always hang out, but I ran away from him yesterday and now everything is awkward and it's all my fault!"

Now Paul's head was spinning. "Um... Lizzie, I'm sorry for not keeping up, but what exactly is the problem here?"

She covered her face with her hands and whispered the answer out between her fingers. "I think I like Edwin."

"You mean like, or like-like?" Paul asked instantly, then groaned as he realized his job made him spend way too much time with high schoolers. "I mean, are you saying you have feelings for him?" he said more maturely.

"Yeah. That's it. Is that weird? Is that sick and wrong?"

"A little weird, but not sick or wrong, I'd say." Paul had never had to deal with a stepsibling crush before... at least one that the person had actually admitted to having.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. Do you think he feels the same way?"

"See, I don't know. That's part of what I was going to ask. How do I find out?" Lizzie sighed. "I know it's weird to come here to ask you that, but I didn't want to tell anyone I actually knew about this."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for." Last week he'd had someone come in to ask him if it was true that drinking Mountain Dew made you sterile. He was basically expected to be a font of knowledge. "It's hard to say how you know if someone likes you, because everyone is different. Do you and Edwin get along?"

"Yeah, we do. I mean, we've pranked each other sometimes, but we're friends. We watch TV together and stuff."

"How does he act around you?"

"Well, normal, I guess." Lizzie paused. "I'm not really giving any information, am I?"

Paul smiled. "Well, you're not being too specific, but maybe I can't help you anyway. I think if someones likes you, there's just this... vibe. You'll just know."

"Hmm, OK." Paul realized from her silence that his answer was a little too vague, but she seemed to accept it. She stood up resolutely. "I guess I'll just have to figure it out myself."

"Let me know if you need anything else sometime. It was nice meeting you."

"Thanks. You, too. Bye!" She slipped out of the room, and Paul returned to his sandwich. He'd just taken another bite when the door swung open wildly and Casey strode in.

"Was that Liz in here?"

"Yeah, it was."

Casey plopped into a chair, past all formality by now. "What did she want?"

"Casey, you know my meetings with other students are confidential," he chided.

She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes at him. "Was it about Edwin?"

His face registered his surprise before he could stop it, and she clapped her hands together. "Ha! I knew it!"

"Casey..."

"Derek and I are _so right_!"

Paul was glad he had stopped eating, because he would have choked. "You and _Derek _are right?"

"Yeah, see, I went and asked him if he thinks Edwin likes Lizzie, and he said yes, and I said yes, and I wanted to figure out if she liked him back and we were going to report back to each other... oh, yeah, that's what I came here to talk to you about! Derek, being nice. What's that all about?"

"Well, Derek's been nice a few times before, right?" Lord knows he'd heard enough Derek stories to have one for every occasion by now.

"A very few times, yeah. But I just realized how weird it is. I mean, we're pretty much enemies. Why do I like talking to him?"

"Casey, that's a question you have to answer for yourself." (Paul loved when students asked questions he could answer with that sentence.)

"Ugh, but you're supposed to answer everything for me, right?"

"Have you learned nothing from our years of meeting?"

Casey sighed. "I know, I know. You're just a friend to listen, I have to make the big decisions myself, blah, blah, blah." Paul raised his eyebrows, and she quickly added, "I meant blah, blah, blah in the nicest way possible!"

"Yeah, sure." Paul decided he had a little advice he could offer. "Maybe you should try hanging out with Derek a little more and see how you feel. Maybe you aren't quite as much enemies as you'd thought."

"Hmm, I guess I could. Maybe. This is so weird."

"There's a lot of weird going around lately," Paul answered.

"I guess that makes me feel better." Casey stood up. "I've gotta go talk to Emily before class starts."

"OK. It was nice talking to you. Come talk with me anytime!"

"Oh, please, Paul, I've been coming here long enough that you don't have to say that anymore," she laughed on her way out.

Three short bites of tuna later, a knock sounded at the door again. Paul crammed the entirety of the sandwich into his mouth, then called out a muffled "Come in!"

This time the visitor was a boy with dark hair and a confused expression, probably because of Paul's food-filled greeting. Paul hastily chewed and swallowed. "Hi. Sorry."

"Hi." The kid looked around. "What exactly am I supposed to do in here?"

"Um, just talk. You can sit down if you want."

"OK." He sat down and looked around the office as though mentally taking notes.

"I'm Paul." He stuck his hand out, not sure what else to do, and the boy shook it calmly like an underage businessman.

"Edwin Venturi."

"Ohhh... I mean, oh, yeah, you're Casey's stepbrother, right?"

"Yep. Has she said stuff about me?" he asked suspiciously.

"Not much, just a little when we talk about the whole blended family thing."

Edwin nodded. "So, is there any protocol for this? Am I supposed to lie on a couch or anything?"

Paul stifled a laugh. "No, sitting in a chair is fine. You're just supposed to talk about whatever you want to talk about."

"OK, well, I don't really want to talk about it, but the thing is... I'm creepy. And a freak." Edwin looked all around the office as though someone might have overheard him.

"Don't worry, my office is soundproof," Paul joked.

"Really? How did you do that? Because I've been thinking about soundproofing my room. I figured it would need some insulation for lower frequencies..."

"Um, I was actually kidding."

"Oh." Edwin paused, then half-shouted, "See? I'm a freak!"

"No, no, you're not. What is it that's bothering you?"

Edwin took a deep breath. "Well, see, I talked to Derek."

"So this is a Derek thing?" Paul had lots of experience with those.

"No, it's about me. See, I talked to Derek and I realized that I've been creeping Lizzie out. I gave her a kitten and danced all close to her and I'm just with her all the time and I think I might be... I don't know. Kind of... feeling something different lately? And I'm pretty sure she's scared of me now." Edwin sighed with relief, then added, "Oh, and do you have some kind of confidentiality agreement you could sign? Because I really don't want you to tell Dad and Nora that we have a cat now."

"Signing something isn't necessary. My job is to be totally confidential."

"Good, good."

"I really doubt that Lizzie is scared of you. I mean, the two of you get along, right? I bet that your relationship is just changing as the two of you get older."

"You're not going to talk about puberty, are you? I've kind of been there, done that."

"Um, no. For that you'll have to ask the nurse."

"No, no, that's OK. So you really think I'm not a creep? Even if I think Lizzie is cute?"

"That's not creepy. I think you should just talk to Lizzie. Maybe acknowledge the awkardness in your relationship and try to figure out what's going on."

"I know what's going on. I have a creeper crush! I can't tell her that."

"Well, just talk to her about normal things and see what happens. Maybe this will work itself out."

Edwin seemed kind of defeated. "Yeah, I guess I can try that." He slowly rose from his chair. "It was nice talking with you. I have to go study before my next class." He stuck his hand out again, and Paul shook it, wondering if this kid could be any more Alex P. Keaton.

"No problem. Stop by anytime."

"Thanks!" Edwin left, but Paul didn't even try to eat anything else or start working on his files. He knew that someone else would barge in.

After a few minutes of silence, he cautiously pulled out a bag of chips and stuck one into his mouth. As soon as his teeth crunched down on it, the door swung open and Derek Venturi entered.

"Derek, hi!" Paul said around shards of potato chip. "What's on your mind?"

Derek stormed up to the desk purposefully. "OK, I'm here to make a deal."

Paul felt a headache starting. "A deal?"

"Yeah. I'll tell you what's on my mind and let you 'guide' and 'counsel' me if you tell me..." He leaned forward secretively. "... what Casey says about me in here."

"Sorry, Derek, I can't do that. Everyone's meetings are confidential, unless they tell me something that would necessitate police or Child Services intervention," Paul recited from the manual.

"Oh, come on. I'm sure Casey has told you she wants to kill me, right?" Derek chuckled companionably, and Paul couldn't help but smirk back.

"Sorry. Can't say!"

"Oh, come on. Does she ever say anything nice about me? You could tell me nice stuff, right?"

Paul tilted his head. "Derek. Why do you care?"

"I... I don't. I just want to be able to make fun of her when you tell me the stuff she said. Wait, I was kidding, I mean, I want to understand my stepsister better. That's healthy, right?"

Paul leaned forward with his poker face on. "You tell me."

"Stop! You're analyzing me, aren't you? I can't do this shrink thing, man." Derek jumped out of his chair and fled toward the door. "Don't tell Casey about this, OK? OK?"

"Confidentiality, Derek!"

"Right, right. Peace!" Derek vanished out the door.

As soon as Derek was gone, Paul got up, took a piece of paper from his printer and wrote OUT TO LUNCH on it in large letters in Sharpie. He stuck the sign to the door, locked it, and turned off his office lights. He'd had enough stress for one day.


	6. I'm being weird, aren't I?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Life with Derek of any of its characters.

**Dedication: **To my sister

**Thanks:** To all reviewers for the really sweet reviews of last chapter! It was my favorite to write. This will be the penultimate chapter of this little tale.

Lizzie and Edwin both rode home on the bus, but they sat with their friends instead of together. Lizzie wondered whether uncomfortable avoidance was the new normal of their relationship.

When they stepped through the front door, Marti eliminated that possibility.

"Lizzie! Edwin! Take me to the park!"

"Huh?" Edwin said.

"Now?" Lizzie added.

"Yeah!" Marti squealed.

"Why not Derek or Casey?"

"Or Dad or Nora?"

"They're busy. I want you guys to take me!"

Lizzie and Edwin looked at each other, shrugged, then turned to Marti. "OK," they chorused.

Lizzie couldn't suppress a smile as she realized that their old nonverbal communication was still strong.

They decided to ride their bikes to the park a few blocks away. Marti, still on training wheels, lagged a little behind and rang the bell on her handlebars all the way.

When they reached the park, there wasn't much chance for conversation at first. Marti demanded a constant rotation of being pushed on the swings, spun on the merry-go-round, and spotted as she climbed to the top of the jungle gym.

She finally found some other little kids to play with, and Lizzie and Edwin sat down on the swings and watched from afar.

Lizzie traced patterns in the dirt with her toe. She thought about Paul's advice. Maybe she should just face this thing head-on.

She turned to Edwin and looked straight into his dark eyes, which were looking a bit puzzled because of her intense stare.

"Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... want to see who can swing higher?"

"You're on!"

Lizzie winced as she pumped her legs to propel the swing. She had chickened out and fallen back on their traditional relationship-- competition.

The contest ended in a draw, and they moved on to the abandoned merry go round. They sat down on it, their backs leaned against the middle pole and their feet lazily pushing it in a circle.

The close proximity reminded Lizzie of when they sat together in the games closet. She had leaned her head on his shoulder there before, cozy in their own place. Why did things ever have to be any different?

"Edwin," she began again.

"Yeah?" He turned his head to see her face, and he was smiling when he looked at her, smiling because he was looking at her, and she smiled back.

"I love the cat you gave me," she began, starting with something easy to say. "And I just want you know that I--"

"He gave you a CAT?"

They both jumped, then gaped when they saw that Marti had crept up to the merry go round in preparation to jump on with them, and had heard everything they said.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Marti knew something was going on with them. Not just the usual Lizzie and Edwin stuff-- a secret. And now she knew what it was. But still, there was something more she wanted to know. What had Lizzie been about to say to Edwin?

"Marti, no, he gave me a_ stuffed _cat," Lizzie stuttered, just as Edwin exclaimed, "PLEASE, DON'T TELL DAD AND NORA!"

"Edwin!" Lizzie elbowed him, grimacing, and Marti smiled at Lizzie's pathetic excuse. Then she hid her smile as she came up with a plan.

"Don't yell at me! I was just coming to sit with you! Waaah!" Marti faked one of her expert crying fits and ran off toward the edge of the park. If she was going to find out what Lizzie and Edwin were really talking about, she would have to disappear.

When she was playing hide and seek at the park with her friends last week, she had found a really excellent hiding spot underneath a hedge. She jumped into it now before Lizzie and Edwin could catch up with her and settled down to watch the games begin.

"Marti! Marti, we're sorry!" They both ran over to the spot they'd last seen her, but they didn't notice her in her little hedgehog burrow on the edge of the park.

"Where is she?" Lizzie asked breathlessly.

"I don't know! Lizzie, we lost Marti!" Edwin gasped back, then let out a few words that he would definitely not have said if he had known Marti was listening.

"I'm sure she's not lost, just hiding or something. We just have to look."

"Yeah, OK."

They both began running around the playground, looking in all kinds of silly places and staring at every little kid to make sure it wasn't Marti. They even began to ask strangers if they'd seen her. Marti had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling out loud.

Conveniently, they met up again right in front of her hiding spot a few minutes later. They ran up to each other and almost collided, but stopped themselves quickly. Lizzie grabbed Edwin's hands anxiously, and Marti beamed.

"We _did_ lose her! What are we gonna do?"

"Are you sure you didn't see her anywhere?"

"Yes, I'm sure! Did you?"

"No!"

"OK, OK, no use blaming each other. We should just look a little more, then call Mom and George. And the police. Agh!" Lizzie pulled her hands out of Edwin's and used them to cover her face in a very stressed out manner.

"Hey, Liz?" Edwin began, and Marti's ears perked up. "What were you going to tell me earlier when Marti came up to us?" Marti wiggled under the leaves and branches, scooting closer so as not to miss a word.

"Oh, that? Nothing. Just that I like Christine. And thanks again." Lizzie's voice was flat and unconvincing, but Edwin, doofus that he was, didn't question her further.

Marti sighed. She knew what Lizzie was going to say. Anyone could tell-- Lizzie and Edwin were the perfect team. They were best friends and more. They had been acting weird because they were realizing how special they were to each other. Marti understood, and she hadn't even lost her last baby tooth. Why couldn't they see?

Giving up, Marti squirmed out from under the bushes. "Surprise! Here I am!"

"Marti!" they both yelled, running up to her and smothering her with hugs and scoldings.

Marti basked in the attention, grinning as she noticed how they finished each other's sentences, even when they were yelling at her.

**LWD LWD LWD**

"Derek!" Casey stormed through the house. "Derek!"

"What? What is it? Geez!" Derek exclaimed, slowly emerging from his room, chunky headphones still around his neck. (Casey's yelling could cut through even the loudest punk rock.)

"I have something to talk to you about!" Her voice, face, and stance all showed the fierce determination that followed a Casey McDonald resolution.

"What? I haven't even done anything to you lately!" Derek quickly thought back over the past week and couldn't remember even one grievous prank or insult. He must be losing his touch.

"Exactly! That's exactly it."

"Huh?" He cringed. How could Casey even yell at him for doing nothing?

"Since when are you nice? Since when do I tell you secrets like about--" she lowered her voice-- "Lizzie and Edwin's cat? When did we call a truce?"

"Oh, there is _no_ truce. Seriously, no. I hate you just as much as ever." He sounded a little weak and he knew it, so he smirked to strengthen his statement. Truth be told, he just didn't bother to annoy Casey as much because... well, because... he scrounged around for the reason, then winced as he realized it. He had realized that getting along with Casey was (almost) as fun as torturing her. He'd always thought that the fun came from "annoying Casey." Now he realized, it was just from Casey. He'd been getting along with her without realizing it.

Casey hadn't stopped her tirade. "No. You don't hate me. And I don't hate you either."

"Stop! Listen to yourself! What are you saying, woman?" Derek was panicking. If he actually liked getting along with Casey, that was a good thing for her to say, right? But he somehow felt as if his world was crashing down. Plus, Casey wasn't looking at him in a friendly way. As she heard his words, her face drooped and she lashed out.

"I mean, sure, we argue, we disagree, we don't think the same way about anything... but we don't torment each other like we used to. You haven't pranked me in months. You don't call me Space Case or Klutzilla anymore. You're losing your touch."

Derek scowled. Nobody told him he was losing his touch! "Oh, yeah? Well... you don't complain about me to Emily nearly as much. It's _you_ who's lost your touch!" If she was trying to make him admit he didn't hate her, she'd have to go first.

"Wait, how do you know what I say to Emily?"

"Oh, I spy on you through the vent." Ha! There was something he'd done to her lately. Of course, he'd done it without telling her, so it was really more like finding things out about her than tormenting her. Oops.

"Derek!" she growled.

"See, we still fight. We're fighting right now!" He was basically stalling for time. How could he make Casey understand what he was thinking? Did he even want her to understand? He was a guy. He didn't discuss _feelings_ and stuff.

Derek was surprised to see tears forming in Casey's eyes. "Fine. I guess I was mistaken. Nothing has changed, OK? Nothing will ever change and you'll hate me forever and we'll never be friends, OK? I get it."

Casey ran down the stairs, and Derek slumped against the doorway. First they were fighting about _not _fighting, then he realized he was actually kind of... not less than fond of Casey, and now she was crying? He stuck both hands into his hair and tugged at it as he sighed. When had their simple relationship of hatred become more complicated?

**LWD LWD LWD**

When Emily arrived at the McDonald-Venturi house to study, she expected to find Casey waiting at the table with a spread of flashcards and class notes. Instead, she had to go upstairs in search of her best friend. She found her in her bedroom, laying on the bed and looking very teary and woeful.

"Casey! What's wrong?" Emily exclaimed, sitting down next to her friend and putting an arm around her shoulder. She hoped that Casey was upset about either a little issue or something about boys. If it was something little, like getting a B on a test or Derek stealing her underwear, Emily could console. If it was something about a crush, Emily could find out the latest scoop and give her expert advice. Even though she would never admit it, she enjoyed Casey's overreacting tendencies. Emily wouldn't have wanted a best friend who was more chill than she was.

Casey hid her face in a pillow and sniffled for a moment, then emerged over the top of it like a turtle peeking out of its shell. "Derek doesn't care about me."

Emily laughed, so startled that she didn't know how else to react. Then she smirked, a smirk worthy of Derek. She finally had the opportunity to explain her theory to Casey.

"Casey, why do you care? I thought you didn't care about Derek," Emily began, laying the trap.

"Well, I don't! But he doesn't have to say that he doesn't care about me... wait, I'm being weird, aren't I?" Casey sighed.

"No. You're being honest. See, you care about Derek and he cares about you! You act like you hate each other, but you clearly don't. You two spend way more time talking about each other than any two people who actually hate each other would. This is clearly a love-hate situation." Emily nodded wisely, waiting for Casey's outburst.

It came immediately. "Love? There's no love!"

"Yes there is! Why else would you continue being disappointed and annoyed when Derek does something mean to you? If you really hated him, you'd just avoid him. Instead, you antagonize him. You both like interacting with each other, but you've set up this relationship where the only way you ever do is if you get in a big fight." Emily smiled, then cautiously added one more thought. "I think it's kind of romantic."

"Romantic? What are you talking about?"

"It's like those romantic comedies where they spend the whole time bickering, only to fall in love and have a wonderful, bickering life together. And make out a lot. Like P_ride and Prejudice_, or _You've Got Mail_, or _Hitch_... you know it's true!"

"But those are just movies, Em. And I don't recall Tom Hanks torturing Meg Ryan nearly as much as Derek tortures me!"

"Art reflects life, Case. Think about it! If you didn't care about what Derek thinks, you wouldn't be crying right now."

Casey sighed, having moved through denial and anger toward hesitant acceptance. "I guess I do sometimes try to talk to him even though I know he'll be a jerk. Like about this whole Lizzie and Edwin thing."

"Ooh, what Lizzie and Edwin thing?" Emily's taste for gossip extended even to the lesser world of underclassmen.

"Edwin bought Lizzie a kitten for her birthday and has been helping her hide it from the 'rents. We think they might kind of be crushing on each other!"

"We?" Emily grinned.

"Ugh... me and Derek. We... talked about it a little. Do you think this is all just sick and wrong? Me love-slash-hating him? And Lizzie and Edwin possibly being more than the middle kids team?"

"It's not sick and wrong. It's... unusual. But those are the best beginnings for romantic comedies. I mean, Cher dated her ex-step-brother in _Clueless_, right?"

Casey laughed. "You always know just what to say, don't you, Em?"

Emily was happy to finally receive some recognition for her expert love analysis. "I _so_ do!"


	7. Weird is the new normal

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own _Life With Derek_ or any of its characters!

**Dedicated:** To my sister, who is coming to visit me tomorrow, yay!

**Tons of thanks: **To all the kind reviewers! I really enjoyed writing this story and I loved hearing what people thought about it. This is the last chapter, but I'm sure I will write more _Life with Derek_ fic sometime. Thanks also to the people who favorited this story or put it on their Story Alert list.

George and Nora were in the kitchen making dinner when Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti arrived back.

"Hey, how was the park, kids?" George asked.

"Great!" they all chorused with a suspicious amount of cheerfulness.

"OK..." George answered slowly. He figured that since they were all present and lacking any visible wounds, things must be OK, right? (That was basically his parenting philosophy.)

"Dinner will be ready in half an hour," Nora announced.

"OK, we'll come down," Edwin answered.

"Yeah, we'll come down. Lizzie and Edwin are going to show me something cool upstairs!" Marti squealed.

"Something cool?" Nora raised her eyebrows, her mom trouble sensor going off. (George wished he had one of those things.)

"Yeah, uh, something on Ed's computer," Lizzie explained hastily.

"OK..." Nora answered, exactly mirroring George's earlier tone of bemusement.

The three kids ran upstairs, and the two parents exchanged calculating looks.

"Were they acting weird to you?" George asked.

"Duh, Georgie. So which one of us should go up there and find out what's going on?"

"I guess I can. Sure you can handle tossing the salad all by yourself?" he teased.

"I've got it under control." Nora smiled and leaned over to give him a kiss before he left, and George basked a little in their still-fresh newlywed glow before he went up to deal with their romance-killing children.

He crept up the stairs slowly, using the sneaking skills that he had honed as a teenager and unfortunately passed on to Derek. He heard quiet voices from the direction of Lizzie's room,so he walked silently up to the door and pressed his ear to it.

"Aw, she's so cute!" he heard Marti exclaim.

"Shh, talk quieter, Marti!" Lizzie reprimanded.

"She's so cute!" Marti repeated at half volume. "What's her name?"

George's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to figure out what they could be talking about. A doll? A stuffed animal? Lizzie didn't really have many of those around anymore. And why would Edwin be in there if all they were doing was having girly squealing time? Of course, Edwin and Lizzie _were_ basically inseparable.

"Look, she's chasing me!" Marti laughed a minute later.

Chasing her? That sounded weird. Well, maybe they were just playing a game.

"I'm going to make sure no one's in the hall," Edwin said suddenly, and before George could move, the door was yanked open and he fell through it, landing flat on his face.

All three of the kids yelped and leapt back.

"Dad!" Edwin and Marti yelled, just as Lizzie shouted, "George!"

"What are you kids-- whoa!" George cried as he peeled himself off of the carpet and came face to face with a tiny kitten and three freaked out kids.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Nora wondered what was taking George so long. He would be back already if nothing big was going on. She decided to abandon the salad for now and make sure he didn't need backup.

She sneaked up the stairs, but before she reached the top, she saw Derek's door swing open. He walked over to... Casey's room? Why would he go there? Nora decided to lurk for a minute and make sure that a huge Derek-Casey fight wasn't about to break out.

Derek knocked on the door, surprisingly politely. "Casey?"

The door slowly swung open a minute later, and Casey's face appeared around it. "What do you want, Derek?"

Derek sighed and hesitated in a very nervous and un-Derek way. "I wanted to tell you something."

"What? How much I suck? How much you hate me? How lame I am? I pretty much get the idea." She started to pull the door closed again, and Derek stuck out his hand and stopped it.

"No! That's not it."

"Then what is it? I'm busy, I haven't got all day." Casey was being snippy, but Nora could read the hurt in her eyes from afar.

"I wanted to tell you... I never thought I'd say this, but... you were right."

"Right about what?"

"I don't hate you. And I want to call-- a truce." Derek stuck out his hand as though to shake, and Casey gawked at it.

"Is this a trick?"

"No!"

"Are you serious?"

"No, I mean, yes! What can I do to prove it?"

"Hmm." Casey got her conniving look and seemed to be carefully considering. "You can give me a hug."

"What?"

"You never want to hug me. It's like I have cooties or something. If you want a truce, we have to have a nice, friendly hug." Casey giggled evilly.

Derek was cringing and looking miserable, and Casey's grin fell as she noticed.

"OK, fine, you clearly aren't serious, since you're acting like the thought is so disgusting!" Casey made to slam the door closed again, but Derek stuck his arm in the way and stopped it again.

"That is not how I'm acting!" he growled. "OK, you want a hug, Casey? I'll do you one better!" He reached behind the door, hauled Casey out, and pulled her into his arms. She stared up at him, startled, but apparently not too startled to wrap her arms around his neck, and before either of them said a word, Derek leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

Nora clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping. She felt like she must be dreaming or hallucinating. She vaguely thought that she ought to stop them, but her body didn't seem to be responding to her thoughts.

Casey pulled back after a minute and stared at him, her mouth hanging open. "Derek?" she asked. All the anger had seeped out of her voice.

"Why do you think I didn't ever want to hug you, Casey?" he said softly, and she slowly smiled.

"So Em was right."

"Huh? Right about what?"

"We're just like a movie."

"Yeah, a horror film," Derek joked, and Casey swatted his arm.

"I thought we called a truce!" she scolded, smiling despite her words.

"Does a truce mean we get to do that again?"

This time Casey closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his, and Nora finally came out of her trance.

"Casey! Derek!" she exclaimed, and they both jumped apart.

"Nora! Hey!" Derek said after a moment, chuckling casually. "What's up?" Casey seemed to be speechless, and Nora wasn't sure what she should say, either.

"We... need to have a talk about this!" she finally stuttered out.

**LWD LWD LWD**

Marti was the only kid who wasn't in trouble at the family meeting, but she was there anyway. She had been the one to witness the really funny spectacle of her dad and Nora colliding in the hall, George yelling out, "Lizzie and Edwin have a kitten!" just as Nora cried, "Casey and Derek were _kissing_!"

Now the whole family was gathered in the living room. Derek was in the chair, as usual, and Marti had hopped into his lap. Casey was sitting on the side of the couch nearest to Derek, nervously twirling her hair and frowning, and Lizzie and Edwin were sitting next to her. Marti smiled to herself as she saw how they were smushed up right next to each other, their shoulders touching as they glanced at each other with worried looks on their faces. Lizzie had Christine in her lap. Marti thought to herself that she and Christine were the only happy ones in the room.

The parents were standing up, looking disapprovingly at their various kids, but clearly not sure where to begin.

Christine let out a little mew, which Marti's dad seemed to take as a sign that Lizzie and Edwin should be addressed first

"Lizzie. When did you get a kitten? How long have you been hiding it from us?" he began.

"Yeah, and what were you _thinking_?" Nora added.

"Dad, Nora, it wasn't Lizzie. I gave her the kitten for her birthday. It's all my fault. I told her not to tell you guys. Don't be mad at her. It was me!" Edwin blurted out. He grabbed Christine out of Lizzie's arms and held her, like that would prove his story.

"Edwin, no!" Lizzie cried. "She's my kitten. I'm the one who hid her in my room and didn't tell anyone. Edwin was just being nice to me because I told him I wanted a pet. It's _my _fault." She snatched Christine back.

"No, Liz, stop. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me." He reached over and grabbed the cat again, but Lizzie pulled her back.

"That's not true. I made my own decision to keep her and hide her. You were just... helping me. Like you always do." Her rushed, yelling voice quieted a little at the end, and she looked down shyly.

Everyone else was staring at Lizzie and Edwin. They seemed to have forgotten what they were there for. Marti leaned back against Derek's chest and continued watching the show.

"Lizzie, stop, I don't want you to get in trouble." Edwin was talking more quietly now, too. He hadn't taken his hands off of the kitten, but instead of pulling them back, he slid them over a little so that his hand was covering Lizzie's.

"It's OK, Ed." They were both smiling, glancing into each other's eyes, then looking away nervously.

"OK, is it just me, or are they acting really lovey-dovey, too?" Dad asked loudly and obliviously, making everyone else jump.

Lizzie and Edwin both blushed and released each other's hands, and Marti giggled.

"Edwin, why did you get Lizzie a cat?" Nora asked, trying to bring the family meeting back to order.

"Because I knew she wanted one and wouldn't get one for herself. I just wanted to get her a nice gift, Nora. I know I should have told you guys but... I thought you would say no."

"That's because we would have!" both parents cried.

"But why? It's not fair. I would have taken care of a pet. I mean, I _have_ taken care of her for a few days and no one even noticed!" Lizzie argued.

"Our house is crazy enough as it is, Liz," Nora began.

"So what's a little more craziness?" Edwin blurted out. "We can handle it. I mean, soon Casey and Derek will graduate, and there's half the craziness gone, right?"

"Hey!" Casey and Derek both yelled, then looked at each other and laughed.

"This is just too weird," Dad said, sitting down on the arm of the couch.

"Yes, speaking of Casey and Derek, I caught them making out in the hallway. How long has _this_ been going on?"

"That was the first time, Mom. It surprised us, too!" Casey said urgently. "I know it's weird, but we didn't plan for it to happen."

"Speak for yourself, Case," Derek smirked, and both parents whirled around accusingly.

"Derek!"

"Oh, come on, couldn't you guys see it? Why else would we fight so much? There's always been... tension."

"I wish someone had told _me_ about this tension before _today_!" Casey grumbled.

"I could see it!" Marti said happily. Derek, Lizzie, and Edwin laughed, but everyone else in the family just looked at her disbelievingly. "What? I could! They fight because they love each other. Just like Lizzie and Edwin hang out in the closet all the time because they love each other."

Dad and Nora both gasped in apparent horror and faced the two middle kids.

"Lizzie. Edwin. Tell me you two haven't been... you aren't..." Nora began sounding strict and serious, but trailed off into sounding freaked out.

"No!" they both answered hastily.

"We're not like that, Nora," Edwin added.

Lizzie suddenly stood up, looking brave despite the little kitten cuddled in her arms. "We aren't like that, but... I want us to be," she said, looking down at Edwin without looking away, this time. "You're not just my friend, Edwin. And you're not my brother. Not to me. You're more than that."

Her bravery seemed to run out then, so she dropped Christine onto the couch and ran up the stairs.

"Lizzie! No... leaving the family.. .meeting," Dad said weakly.

Marti decided it was her turn to speak.

"I'd like to make a motion that we keep the kitten. How about we all vote on it? I vote yes!" She stuck her arm in the air, and Derek, Edwin, and Casey quickly copied her.

"We vote yes, too!" Casey announced.

A minute later, Dad stuck his hand in the air, too.

"George!" Nora gasped.

"Well, it's really cute, Nora. And Lizzie can clearly take care of it herself. No one's allergic. Maybe we should just let this one go and focus on dealing with our weird, lovesick children."

Nora sighed, then laughed. "OK, fine. The kitten stays. But I think we should go find Lizzie."

**LWD LWD LWD**

Edwin was leading the pack as the whole family ran up the stairs in search of Lizzie. He looked into her room, then checked her cat supply-filled closet, but she wasn't there.

"Whoa, she really has been hiding a cat in here!" Dad marveled as he saw the litterbox, food, water, and toys hidden in Lizzie's big walk-in.

"Where should we check next?" Nora asked

"Games closet," all the kids said at once.

"Why don't you go ahead, Ed? I know girls, and I doubt Lizzie wants us all busting in there," Derek advised.

"Good point. Stay here!" Edwin panted, dashing out of the room.

The games closet was closed, and he stopped and stared at the door. If she was really in there, this was the moment of truth. She'd confessed her feelings (in front of the whole family, no less) and he figured he should do the same. He was still nervous, though. He'd never had any luck with girls. Maybe he could even mess _this_ up.

He forced himself to knock on the door.

"Go away!" Lizzie ordered from behind it.

"Liz? It's me. Can I come in?"

"You're the last person I want to see."

Edwin winced and prepared to flee, but he tried again. "Dad and Nora said you could keep Christine."

Bingo. The door opened a crack and one Lizzie eye peeked out. "For real?"

"Yep."

"That's great!" Lizzie cried, and Edwin set his hand on the doorknob, preparing to be let in. As soon as he did so, Lizzie slammed the door shut again.

"Lizzie! Can you please let me in?"

"No, I'm going to just stay in here and die of embarrassment." Edwin heard sniffles and bit his lip miserably as he realized Lizzie was crying.

"Liz, please! I can't stand it when you cry. Please let me in?"

"I'm not crying, Edwin! Buzz off!" she yelled, sniffling even louder.

"OK, well, move back from the door, because I'm going to push it open!" he declared boldly, shaking out his arm muscles.

"Oh, yeah right, Edwin!" The sarcasm drove a little of the teary sound out of her voice.

"Edwin? How's it going?" Nora asked, and Edwin turned and saw that the entire family was assembled in the hall behind him.

"Just fine, Nora. I'm going to break the door open!" The games closet door was a little loose on its hinges. He could do it, right?

"Um, Ed, do you really think that's a good idea?" Casey asked. He glared at her defensively, and she quickly added, "Because you might hurt the door!"

"It's a risk I'll have to take!" He stood back to make a rush at the door. Just as he began running, the door swung open and he crashed into Lizzie, knocking them both into the back of the closet.

"Edwin! Ouch! You moron," Lizzie groused from underneath him.

He noticed that a few of her tears had rubbed off on his sleeve, and he jumped up quickly and helped her up next to him. "Sorry, Liz."

"Why are you even in here?" She was wiping her eyes and crossing her arms grouchily.

Edwin took a deep breath. Now or never. "Lizzie, I've been meaning to tell you something!" he blurted out. "You're my best friend, too… but it's not just that. I mean, you're my favorite… my favorite person, ever, basically, and there's no one as cool as you or as smart as you or fun as you, and I just don't feel the same way about anyone else… I don't know how to explain it, but…"

Lizzie was smiling so big that she was practically glowing. Then she frowned and turned to the rest of their family. "Do you mind? A little privacy, please?" She slammed the closet door shut, and as soon as she did, grabbed hold of Edwin's hands.

"I feel the same way. About you. About all of it. Like I said before. You... mean a lot to me."

Edwin squeezed her hands so tight that he feared he would cut off her circulation. "Really?"

"Totally."

"Do you think it's too weird?"

"Well, yes, it's very weird. But… I guess for us, that's normal!" She squeezed his hands back and he felt a huge grin spread across his face. He gathered up his courage as he gazed into her eyes.

"Liz, would it be OK if I…"

"Yes. Do it, or else!" For once, Edwin didn't object to her threatening him.

He leaned forward tentatively and placed a delicate peck on her lips. She blushed and smiled, then threw her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with even more enthusiasm.

"You always have to show off, don't you?" he grumbled, and they both laughed. Everything seemed so normal, yet somehow a million times better.

"Maybe we should open the closet before everyone has a heart attack," Lizzie said, giggling with evil glee.

"I guess so." He didn't really want to let go of her.

Before they could make the decision, the door swung open on its own.

"Nice job, you two!" Derek exclaimed.

"Whoa—wha—" Edwin gasped. Did Derek have X-ray vision?

"Don't act so innocent. I can sense face-suckage going on from miles away!" Derek clapped them both on the shoulder as though they had just won a contest.

Casey looked at them appraisingly, then giggled and clapped her hands. "This is so cute!"

"I don't know how I feel about _this_ development, either," Nora sighed, holding her temples as though a migraine was brewing.

"Ditto." Dad put his arm around her and looked even more confused than he usually did.

"Lizzie and Edwin are in love! Lizzie and Edwin are in love!" Marti sang, dancing in a circle around Derek, with Christine in her arms.

As usual, no one dared to argue with Marti.


End file.
